Happy Friday!

I wish everyone a happy Friday and an even happier Saturday to come! I send everyone much love and best wishes!

Love is the answer

I heard this song today by Jason Mraz  called “Love is Still the Answer” that I really liked, not just because the music is nice but also because I believe that love is something that can help solve so many problems in this world. So, in an effort to spread the love, I’ve decided to post the song mentioned above. I wish everyone a very happy Thursday and an even happier Friday to come!

Home

"Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/oliver_wendell_holmes_sr

I like this quote because  I consider the people I love best to be my home,  In that sense, to me, home really isn't a physical place, it's something that is in the heart. That's why for me, my family and friends are my home and they're always with me in my heart. To me, being with them and thus, feeling at home, is the best feeling and so if you're reading this, I hope that you have many people around you that help you feel happiest, that is to say, most at home. 

True magic

"Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen."-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/johann_wolfgang_von_goeth

I've always liked magic, whether it's watching magic tricks or reading books in the Harry Potter series, for me, it's fun to see things happen mysteriously. I like the quote above because it speaks to how life can be mysterious. We don't know what each day will bring but to me, it's nice to know that it's possible to make things that seem magical happen every day. For me, it's not so much about how magical things happen, it's more important to me to know that magical things can and do happen.  Even though it's not always clear how it happens, to me, magic is all about believing in the extraordinary. The fact that everyone can believe in themselves and in the extraordinary things that people can do, means to me that there's a little magic in all of us and so many great things can come from that.  

Minion Monday (I just can't help myself)

I saw this clip and because it's Monday I couldn't help posting it here as it made me laugh. Happy Monday everyone!

Genius

"Everyone is a genius at least once a year. The real geniuses simply have their bright ideas closer together."-Georg C. Lichtenberg

I like this quote because it's funny and I feel like there are times when it's nice to feel especially intelligent. Maybe those instances of feeling especially intelligent don't happen in an immediate string for me, but when I do have a thought or I do something I feel is particularly smart, it does feel rather satisfying.  For example, the other day I was helping one of the people i work with who was having a problem with her computer. After a while we managed to figure it out and it felt really good to be able to fix it and we both felt smarter afterwards. I discovered from that experience that intelligence is best shared. In the spirit of sharing knowledge, below is a child who knows a great deal about different countries which I hope you will find informative. I wish everyone the happiest of Sundays. 

Somewhere there's a place for everyone

The composer Leonard Bernstein was born today in 1918. He is famous for (among many other things) composing a musical called West Side Story, which s a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. There's a song in West Side Story called "Somewhere" and even though it's not a very happy song, I still like it because it's all about finding a place to belong and a place where love can thrive. I think everyone deserves to have a place to belong and to be loved. Wherever you are reading this, I hope you've found a place where you feel you belong and that you know that you are loved. To that end, I send you much love from me, now and always.

Choose to love what you have

I like the idea of choosing to love what you have. Love to me is the best thing there is to have. I seek to find love in every day and so today I love that it's Friday because I have all 24 hours of it!

Yodeleheeoo!!!

I always thought yodeling was fun and it makes me feel happy. Once when I was younger I bought this teddybear that yodeled when you pressed it. I think I got it because it would annoy my parents. I just thought it was so funny, so that's my only connection to yodeling. Anyway, I saw this clip of this little boy yodeling and it made me feel happy so I posted it here. Happy Thursday everyone!

Live by imagination

"Man lives by imagination."-Havelock Ellis
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/havelock_ellis_135987

I like this quote because I think that without imagination, it's harder to be creative and creativity makes life more fun (at least for me). While I know it's good to live in the present, it's nice to think of things that can be done to make the here and now more colorful. All this makes me think of the song "Pure Imagination" from the movie & play Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I post it here below in the hope that it will inspire you to run with your imagination sometimes and let it help shape your reality.

Just for laughs

I saw this clip of a baby laughing with her dad and I thought it was funny so I post it here to wish a happy Tuesday to everybody!

A sense of peace

My parents came to visit me the weekend before last and it was really lovely because even though we didn't do a lot because it rained it was just really nice to see them and have them nearby. It got me thinking about how being loved by people and loving them all in return gives one a profound sense of peace. If I could wrap that sense of peace up and give it to everyone I would. However, things being as they are, to all who read this, I wish you peace now and always. 

First flight

The aviator Orville Wright was born today in 1871 and as he and his brother are credited for inventing and building the first plane, this got me thinking about the first plane flight I remember taking.  My parents took me and my siblings to see my mum's parents in England and I must have been about 5. This was before 9/11 so people were a lot more flexible about allowing kids to go in the  cockpit to see the pilot (especially if you were cute little kids.) Anyway, because my siblings and I were cute little kids, I remember we all got excited because the flight attendants gave us wing pins and they let us go see the pilot.  I remember going into the cockpit and thinking  it was cool that the sky looked so blue and big stretched out before us. I  also remember thinking  that in all my life I'd never seen so many buttons to press and I wanted to press them all at once. (I guess for the plane and other passengers) my siblings and I were shepherded out of the cockpit in about 5 minutes.) Anyway, since that time I've always rather liked flying and seeing the sky so blue. The next time I fly in a plane, I hope it'll be to someplace I've never been, just because I like a bit of adventure!

Two funny thoughts for a Saturday

Just because I felt today was a good day to think funny/odd things, here are two things I thought about today. 

I love water because it's wet! (A piece of advice to everyone: never drink water that isn't wet!)

If I ever feel like telling someone to go to (well you know where), instead I'll tell them "Go to happiness!" in the hope that it'll really confuse them.

The good things in life

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough." Mae West
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/mae_west


To me living life right is finding something to enjoy in every day. So today among other things,  I'm happy it's Friday! I hope there were many things in your day that helped you feel happy as well. 

I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays from me and my minions!

Be not afeared!

"Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again." -Caliban from Shakespeare's The Tempest

I always rather liked Shakespeare's plays (although I didn't always understand them.) Anyway, I like this passage particularly because to me, it's about not being afraid of things and using that lack of fear to hear and see more of life's good and sometimes mysterious things. So I encourage all who read this to be not afeared and see what awesome things can come from not being afraid!

Look back and smile

"Look back, and smile on perils past."- Walter Scott
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/walter_scott

The writer Walter Scott was born today in 1771 and I like this quote by him because although it's not always good to dwell on the past, I like the idea of being able to look back at things that happened that were difficult and know that I got through them and I feel stronger for getting through those things. So if you must look back on the past and think of all you've been through, I hope that you can smile about all the things that you've gotten through because you did it!

Go to happiness!

"Happiness is a direction, not a place." -Sydney J. Harris

I like to think of happiness as I direction. I do find for the most part that my actions are directed by what makes me feel happiest and what I feel might help others to be happy.  So I say, go forth and be guided by happiness and in that spirit I share the music below to inspire you and help you follow that happiness wherever it leads you!

Amazing animal protection!

I saw this wonderful clip today about a whale who managed to protect a woman from being eaten by a shark. I liked the story because it shows that we're all connected somehow, even with animals and that's why we all have to protect each other!

Funny dog video

Since I like dogs I thought I should share this video because I felt it’s funny! I wish a very happy Sunday to all who read this!

Funny joke for a Saturday

Just because I felt like Saturday is a good day for laughter, I thought the joke below was funny. Happy Saturday everyone!

One Saturday morning in Whyte's Auction House the bidding was proceeding furiously and strongly when the Chief Auctioneer suddenly announced, 'A gentleman in this room has lost a wallet containing ten thousand dollars. If returned, he will pay a reward of two thousand dollars. 

There was a moment's silence in the auction house and from the back of the room came a cry, 'Two thousand five hundred!'

(Source of the joke: http://www.guy-sports.com/humor/jokes/index_sat.htm

Happy Friday!

I wish everyone the happiest of Fridays and a lovely weekend to come!

Good advice

"Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you."-John Ruskin

I posted this quote as a public service announcement, I think this is excellent advice as walking without lights on (at least in my case) usually leads to injuries. So I hope you always have lots of lights around when you walk!

Can do

"When one must, one can." -Charlotte Whitton

It's always interesting to me the things people can do when they have to do them. There are things I once thought I could never do until I had to do it.  Thinking of that reminds me of this really funny clip I saw of this man saying "You Can Do it." Although the clip makes me laugh, it does make me think of all the things people can do that are good. If there is something  you feel you need to do that you feel is a good thing to do,  I hope you do it because if it's something you need to do, you can do it!

I love bookstores

"A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking."-Jerry Seinfeld

I always loved bookstores. One of my earliest memories is going to a children's bookstore once a week to listen to someone tell a story. Throughout my life I've felt rather at home in bookstores. I just like being around books. I like that when I'm reading I can imagine what it's like to be in different places and get to know different people that I might not otherwise meet in real life.  I hope everyone has a chance to read one book for fun. Life is better with books!

Being uncomfortable isn't so bad

"Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream."- Peter McWilliams
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/peter_mcwilliams_393223

I've found that being slightly uncomfortable sometimes is the key to getting to be more comfortable. When I was looking for work for example, I remember feeling rather discouraged at times but in the end, I think those feelings helped me because I feel like I appreciate my job more and am even happier to have a job now because of the experiences I had in trying to get a job. I think I'm especially happy in my work because I found where I'm convinced I need to be. I hope that everyone finds a place where they fit best. If you're not in that place now, no matter what difficulties you might be facing, I hope you don't stop until you find wherever and whatever it is that makes you feel happiest!  I wish you the very best now and always. 

A summertime song

The musician Louis Armstrong was born today in 1901 and I like this song he sang with Ella Fitzgerald called "Summertime." I like it because it makes me feel peaceful and because my parents like jazz, listening to it makes me feel closer to them. I was thinking it  was fitting to write about this particular song now because it happens to be a hot summer day where I am.  Wherever you are reading this, I hope you're having a nice summer and I wish you the very best.

The benefits of loving people

It's good to love people....because then there's higher chance that they'll give you hugs and dark chocolate and minions!

Happy Friday everyone!

A reason to smile

Smile! Tomorrow is Friday!! Hooray!!! Happy Thursday from Maggie and the Minions!

The power of a sunbeam

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”- Francis of Assisi 
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/francis_of_assisi_753007

If I could be a force of nature I think I’d like to be a sunbeam so I can help give people light and warmth. However, things being the way they are, I wish many sunny days to all who read this.